Will all this rain be enough to make a difference?

Saturday 19^th July; car shuffle day

We were heartily glad we had come into the marina yesterday instead of leaving it till today!  It was raining lightly as Jess got her early morning walk, but by 8.45 when we walked up to the office it was pelting down, so we both wore full wet weathers.  Dave’s taxi was early so off he went while Jess and I went for a walk down the towpath.  Would she be able to cross the top gates of Calcutt top lock?  The lock ideally needs to be full, as the footboards are over the lock - if a dog falls in you can reach them to haul them out again.  If the dog can swim well and the lock is empty, theoretically you can open a gate for them to swim out but I wouldn't want to do that.  Anyway, she was fine so we set off down the locks and along the towpath.

Bonjour from the towpath – it’s the one with the diamonds on the cratch board

The towpath is mostly very narrow and there are prolific crab apple trees along the way.  There is a damson too, and though the fruits are not yet ripe enough to pick they are already starting to colour.  The rain was making the laden trees bow down and I had to duck to get past.

We walked as far as Tomlow Road bridge and I was rather fed up by then.  My no longer waterproof wet-weather trousers had let enough water through to soak my legs and socks and it wasn't very comfortable.  We saw just one boat at the top of Calcutt locks and I think I heard them mooring in Ventnor marina as we came back.  Apart from them and a lone dog walker that was the only activity.  Back at the boat, once I had dried the soggy doggy and myself – my shorts got pretty wet too – it was time for some cleaning and the other bits and pieces necessary at the end of a trip.  I managed to get the fridge defrosted and the cleaning started before Dave got back, around lunchtime.  He had caught an earlier train but had had a horrible drive from Springwood Haven, with heavy Saturday traffic, often at a standstill, and driving rain.

After lunch the weather improved and boats were soon on the move.  One hire boat moored on the towpath opposite for a short while.  I could see a Devon flag so went to signify my agreement with its slogan.

Cream first, yes, of course!

They had driven up from Totnes and started a week’s holiday yesterday afternoon from Clifton Cruisers.  They were hoping to get to Stratford ….  I suggested they have a look at Canalplan as I was pretty sure that wouldn’t work out.  I looked it up later - they might just have managed it at 10 hours a day!  Nearly 100 miles and 166 locks.

We spent an hour in the boaters’ lounge, which is the only place apart from the marina office to get a half-decent signal.  I picked up the message from Cross Country Trains that they would refund the whole of my ticket price for my difficult journey back to Nuneaton last week.  Then I took some photos of the cratch cover as we will need some repairs once we get back to Droitwich.   J&H Trimmings at Ashwood Marina did a good job repairing Chuffed’s cratch cover, and it’s easily accessible from Droitwich by car. 

The fabric on the zips is rotting from the sunlight and most of the Velcro needs replacing too

Dave meanwhile had another go at fixing the connection between the water tank inlet and the well deck fitting, which had been misaligned on the original fit-out.  The abortive visit to Midland Chandlers had been to look at their flexible water pipe, which turned out not to be anywhere near bendy enough.  He had brought some other piping which was more flexible than proper water-pipe but even so needed soaking in hot water so it could be manipulated to fit.

From this – the split is visible below the bottom jubilee clip -

To this.  The misalignment is less than an inch.

Getting the second jubilee clip tightened was another difficult task as there was insufficient space to hold it still while wielding the screwdriver, but with the aid of micropore tape – sticky enough to hold the thing still and crucially slightly stretchy – he got it all secured.  Time will tell if it will hold without splitting.   The water tank is reasonably full, so we didn’t test it this evening, just in case ….  It was now too late to drive to the Folly to eat so we had the old standby bacon and beans for our rather late meal. 

On Sunday we drove home in much better weather.

Trip stats

36 miles (30¼ miles narrow canals, 5¾ miles broad).  4 narrow locks, 3 broad.

Rose Narrowboats swing bridge at Stretton Stop.  Newbold tunnel (250 yards underground).

Coventry, North Oxford and Grand Union canals.

Another hot day as we cruise to Calcutt marina

Friday July 19^th; Braunston to Calcutt marina

Today was sunny and warm.  We waited for enough boats to have come past to ensure there would be somewhere to moor in Braunston, and pulled in just past bridge 89.  We all walked up to the village again over the bridge – Jess has been this way just the once, but she knows exactly where to go now, at least to the good bit where you can play ball.

Whack!  Luckily the sheep were elsewhere

But they had been here earlier, leaving some of their winter coats behind

We went up to get the paper and visit the butchers before walking back to the towpath down Nibitt’s Lane.  Sadly in the garden on the corner, the oil tank, which used to have an amusing painting of Dennis’s Gnasher eyeing up a cat above his head, has been painted and it’s boring black now.

It looked like this in 2016.  We definitely saw it in its full glory some years earlier, but that would have been before we got a digital camera!

We were looking forward to getting something refreshing at the Gongoozler’s rest, but with no luck – it is closed for a couple of weeks, so I expect they are on holiday. 

There is a defibrillator fitted here now at the entrance to the seating area.

So back to the boat we went, and at least it wasn’t as far as yesterday!  We left the mooring and continued to Braunston Turn, noting that the service point and the chandlery mooring were both now occupied, so we were glad we had gone to the chandlery yesterday.

Thank goodness CRT has suspended mooring opposite the water point.  It’s just before Braunston Turn and in the past it could be chaos with boats moored, others waiting for water, and more trying to pass - in both directions at once!

We went right at the turn, towards Napton Junction.

Can't resist a photo of these beautiful old bridges

We were glad there is a lot of tree cover on the first stretch as the sun was now blisteringly hot again.  There were plenty of boats on the move.

We found a patch of shade for a lunch stop.  It would have been a pleasant place to stay, but we didn’t; partly because Dave needs to fetch the car tomorrow from Springwood Haven so we want to be much closer to Calcutt marina, but also because the tree is a Crack Willow.  There have been enough trees down around the network recently because of the drought and heat, and crack willows have been known to, well, crack unexpectedly.

It was slow going as we wended our way towards Napton Junction.  There are plenty of good spots for mooring and lots of boats had taken advantage.  Add to that the stretches of permanent mooring and the constant stream of boats coming towards us, and we were in tickover as often as not.  Many of the boats on the move were Napton hirers who had just picked up their boats - with restrictions already in place on the South Oxford (and the Napton flight will close completely in three days' time) they all seemed to be going to Braunston instead.  We saw the boat in front of us turn towards Calcutt locks and thought good, we have a locking partner as we were now on the Grand Union with its double-width locks.  Even if a boat had been waiting for them, there was another behind us to pair up with, so we would all be making the best use of water.  Two boats had just come out of the top lock and in we slid, next to NB Polly Perkins, which also moors at Calcutt.

Bonjour with Pretty little Polly Perkins from Paddington Green, and I still have the tune in my head.

Two boats were coming up the middle lock and there were two more waiting in the third.  Everyone got everything right and no-one got stuck on the offside mud in the bottom pound.

You can see the reeds sticking up to the left of the picture.  A wide expanse of mud is often exposed when a lockful of water is taken from the  pound.

We moored where we had been told when I called the marina the other day – a perfect reverse into the slot, having to pass the other boat already moored on this double-length pontoon - only to have to move again once we had checked in at the office.  But with little wind it was easy enough, and now we can see boats moving along the canal.  Unfortunately most of the marina has terrible reception for phones even if you stand outside your boat, and we have never been able to get a wifi signal here either, not on the marina wifi, our boat wifi nor even by tethering a phone.  We did manage to book a taxi for the morning.  It’s likely to be wet and it’s a mile to the bus stop so Dave would like to start the journey dry!

Braunston bangers for tea, mmm.

6½ miles, 3 locks.

 

Another hot, muggy and damp day

Thursday 17^th July; Houlton to Braunston approaches

It was a bit drizzly as I took Jess out first thing.  We were only walking her in the Rugby direction as there are two boats with cats on the moorings, so better to avoid them completely. 

This was waiting beside the boat when we returned 10 minutes later!

Somebody must be having an early round over the hedge.  I don’t think it hit the boat, but we might think twice next time about mooring at this end of the Armco!  You can’t really see the golf course as the hedge is quite thick now, but I could hear a groundskeeper working.  We left for Hillmorton at about 9.15.  The boats that had come down the flight yesterday all passed us as we cruised and the extensive moorings below the flight were almost empty.  We topped up the water tank (this tap is notoriously slow) and were ready for the locks as a boat came out of the towpath side one.  With volunteers on hand to work the lock, I could leave a book in in the book swap and have a quick browse, though because of the weather there were only a few out on the little shelves where there is shelter from the weather.

Hillmorton bottom lock in gloomy weather

The second and third locks were ready for us, or nearly.  These locks are fairly far apart, and are paired.  Savvy boaters will tell each other which side should be ready for them and we were on the towpath side all the way up.  Boats were waiting for us to leave at each lock, so work was minimised.  A queue was starting to develop at the top, and as the morning wore on more and more boats were coming towards us. 

Had this boat been clobbered?  No-one seemed to be on board.

 

We passed Barby moorings and started to look for somewhere to stop for lunch as the rain got heavier, and pulled in at bridge 79.  Before we left, after sitting out another heavy shower, we went through a big gap in the hedge to see what was there.  There was the opportunity for a quick game of ball on the wide track between hedge and crop – which was wheat, looking rather sorry for itself.  I hope the rain has been enough to perk it up a bit.  Rain continued for a while, even though the weather appeared to be brightening up, but as we wanted to be closer to Braunston we carried on.  

Dave spotted it first

There are lots of good spots along the way, but once past bridge 89 the moorings are usually very busy and we wanted somewhere quieter, so we stopped about half-way between bridges 87 and 88.  The rain had now gone and it was hot and muggy.  The dog needed walking so we set off towards Braunston.  We crossed the canal at bridge 89 and followed the footpath across the field to the church, then went down the road to Midland Chandlers.  They didn’t have what Dave needed, so we returned to the canal from the road bridge nearby and walked back in the intense heat.  Luckily we had taken water for us and there are several places where dogs can drink from the canal.  Once we got back, out came the hopper windows again to cool the boat, as a stream of Braunston hire boats passed, returning to base.  

The towpath is very narrow with nowhere to sit in the shade - other boats had already nabbed the best spots.

At least the neighbours are quiet!

7 miles, 3 locks

Congestion at Newbold tunnel

Wednesday 16^th July; All Oaks Wood to Houlton bridge/golf course

It was cool and pleasant this morning after yesterday’s rain.  Boat traffic started early and it was busy for the half-hour before we left – then we had to wait again for more boats to go by once we were ready to leave.

Meadow cranesbill growing by the mooring.

One of the other moorers had a weather station on the roof – they said there had been less than half an inch yesterday in all those downpours.  Not enough!  It was dry today and soon warmed up as we cruised, and the canal quietened down too with apparently few boats on the move.  That’s because they were all between Newbold and Rugby.  There was no-one emerging from Newbold tunnel as we approached, but as we entered we could see a boat at the far end.  They had chosen to wait for us to come through.  It was lucky we didn’t need to stop for water, as there was already one boat filling and another waiting.  There isn’t much space here between the tunnel and the bridge, with the water point and a bend to add to the fun.  We were ok and so was the boat that waited for us, but coming up behind them it was a different story.  One boat had just come through the bridge, and we could see another waiting beyond it.  The visitor mooring starts there too.  Luckily the older chap who lives nearby, and is often seen recording the numbers of passing boats, was around and went forward to ask the approaching boats to hold back while we came through and the other boats got themselves into the tunnel.  

Good man

We slowly inched by the waiting boats and through the bridge.  Three more boats were treading on each others heels so we crept between them and the moorings to get out of their way.  Another decided to pull in and wait for things to calm down.  But no-one got in a mess and we were all fine.

There is a stretch of permanent mooring here too.

We went on towards Rugby, hoping for a mooring at Brownsover as we needed a stock-up shop in Tesco.  And we were in luck – the last mooring on the water-point side was free, so Jess could have some Frisbee-time too on the wide grassy picnic area.  After a day and a half of long trousers it was definitely back to shorts, sun-hats and Factor 50.  After shopping and lunch there was plenty of time to get beyond Hillmorton locks if we had wanted to, even though the last entry is at 3.15 (like many flights they are on reduced operating hours to conserve water).  But we had no need to hurry, so moored by the golf course shortly after Clifton Cruisers and Houlton Bridge.

There was plenty of time for baking so with most of the hoppers out and a good breeze to dissipate the heat of the oven I made a cake.

Five and a half miles

What’s this wet stuff?

Tuesday 15^th July; before Ansty to All Oaks Wood

Although the weather was cloudy, with light rain forecast till 5pm, that wasn’t the reason we had a late start.  Yesterday our friend who waters the greenhouse had let us know our water supply had failed – we are not on the mains and the elderly pipework failed at the end of May.  But we are still waiting for quotes to make the repair permanent, and the temporary fix had failed.  Fortunately our clever son lives not far away and was able to fix the problem (blown fuse, reason discovered and corrected) so at least we will have water when we get home!

Troublemakers

So it was well after 11 before we got going.  Soon after Ansty we could see a boat across the canal and crew on the bank scrambling onto the bow.  They got themselves sorted, but shortly after stopped again to drop the crew off with their dogs to continue their walk.  The parent swans were extremely aggressive, hissing at us even though we were six feet away, and on the narrow towpath had not been about to let dogs anywhere near their babies!  We stopped for lunch once we were clear of the noise of the M6 crossing.  It had rained on and off this morning, nothing much, but suddenly after lunch it pelted down so we waited a bit before moving on. 

Cygnets learning about blackberries

Dave decided to walk the dog, though took the precaution of getting his wet weathers on, as did I – just as well, as the rain got heavier as I approached the moorings at Stretton Stop.  By the time I reached the small swing bridge at Rose Narrowboats it was hammering down.  It was then that I realised I had brought my old waterproof trousers which leak at the knees!  Fortunately Dave had opened the bridge ready, and Jess took the opportunity to leap on board and rush inside!  I picked Dave up under the bridge.  Should we wait in its shelter for the storm to pass over?

Well we didn’t, and it carried on for another ten minutes.

The rain eased off and went back to intermittent light rain as we neared Brinklow.  

Waterway Routes shows that the old route of the North Oxford turned right here

The towpath at Easenhall Cutting has been closed since last winter – or was it the winter before? – after a massive bank collapse which destroyed the towpath and I think closed the canal for a while.  There are fences at either end, but it’s clear they are not stopping walkers.

Not hard to get round

With today’s rain the towpath at the slip looked very muddy and slippery.

As we approached All Oaks Wood we had a dilemma.  The Brinklow end is always crowded and a decent edge is at a premium.  Should we go on and risk there being no room at the far end, where the view is much better but mooring can be tricky?  But there was enough Armco for the bow and centre line at this end so we stopped.

 

The rain had been so heavy that it had washed the failed acorns on the roof into a heap, but not washed them overboard as the centre line had been in the way - I used it of course as we came in to moor.

It continued raining on and off and the evening got so chilly that we had to start closing windows.

5½ miles

Two junctions, two canals and at last a lock

Monday 14^th July; Marston Junction (Coventry canal) to past bridge 11 (North Oxford).

It was peaceful till about 6, when we started to hear tapping on the roof.  Birds?  Rain?  The pattern, or lack of it, reminded us we were under a tree.

Failed acorns all over the roof

Never mind, we needed the shade yesterday!  And it’s a little cooler this morning too, though still with no sign of rain.

Clearing the solar panels for max efficiency; we're not planning a long cruise today

We left at our usual time around 9.30, and pottered down towards Hawkesbury Junction.  Charity Dock, or at least the online moorings along the garden bit, looked emptier than we remembered, fewer boats meaning a clearer view of the general scruffiness, the tired-looking mannequins and other items.  But we’ve got plenty of photos and we’ve seen it so often we honestly couldn’t be bothered.  Here are some Great Reed Mace instead.

Not bulrushes!

The wind was coming up the canal towards us, though not at all cold.  We took the first mooring on the armco before Hawkesbury junction.   We could see that there was maybe one other spot next to the water point but a bird in the hand, etc, so that’s where we stayed.  We needed bread, so I wandered down to the bins with some of the accumulated rubbish and recycling and then went up and over the footbridge to walk to the convenience store the other side of the little housing development.

Steep steps on the footbridge.  Some of the residents on the long-term moorings were making very heavy weather of them.

One of the residential roads is called Sephton Street; Sephton’s House and Boatyard used to face the junction.  The little shop had plenty of sweets and an off-license, and not a massive range of food, but they did have bread.  Nicholson’s tells us that the disused Engine House at the junction housed a Newcomen-type atmospheric steam engine called Lady Godiva (we're not far from Coventry), which was previously used at Griff Colliery north of Marston Junction.  Until 1913 it was used to pump water from a well into the canal.

It was still only 11 when I got back, so we made coffee and read the paper, having plenty of time on our hands.  We have abandoned plans to spend a few days on the South Oxford summit, where there are some lovely moorings; although we could easily get as far as Fenny Compton and back, with the Napton flight closing on Monday week because of lack of water – indeed the whole of the South Oxford as far as Cropredy – it would be a terrible waste of water.  After lunch we waited for the water point to become free and went along to top up.  I took the rest of the rubbish to the compound, namely the polystyrene bits and pieces I had pulled out of the canal.  Some clot has thought fit to wrench the pedestrian gate of the newly built compound off its hinges.  Maybe it was the same person who did the fly-tipping though they could easily have hefted most of the stuff over the fence without wrecking the gate.  More expense for CRT, sadly.

Dave executed a perfect turn at the junction, in the wind, without benefit of bow-thrusters.  You can see the curtains all closed against the heat of the sun - I had to close the other side once we were round the 180 degree turn.

The little stop lock was quickly ascended and a boat arrived to take it from us.  We wondered about trying to moor so we could have a meal at the Greyhound, but the wind was blowing the motorway noise to us and we had been finding it rather oppressive.  Anyway there were no spaces, so we couldn’t have.  We kept our eyes open for water voles, and Dave spotted one, but the photo was too indistinct to see what the brown blob was.  The short stretch of Armco between bridges 11 and 13 was free so we moored up for the night.  This is where the motorway is furthest away from the canal till well past Ansty, so the noise is not too bad.  The wind had got up and waves were marching along the canal.

We were all tied up by 3.  This was taken in the evening.

There was a light shower as we moored, and the wind got up even more – at times it was moaning in the wires between the pylons that crossed the canal.  The weather was sunny again later.  We were surprised that no-one joined us.  One chap would have liked to, but his dogs don’t like other dogs so he felt he had to go on.  There is plenty of Armco closer to Hawkesbury Junction, but it is noisy from the motorway.

About 5 miles, 1 lock, 2 junctions (Marston, though we didn’t actually go round it, and Hawkesbury), 2 canals – Coventry and North Oxford.